Turnstile attendance keeps Aces optimistic

Turnout down overall as team seeks top seed

Announced home attendance is down for the Aces this season.

But the franchise is optimistic about the future amid what team officials say is an increase in turnstile attendance.

After 12 home games, the Aces’ average announced attendance is 4,459 at Mandalay Bay Events Center, third lowest of the 12 WNBA teams and a 16 percent decrease from last season’s average of 5,317 during the team’s first year in Las Vegas.

Actual attendance, however, is up, according to Aces assistant general manager Christine Monjer, who oversees the team’s business operations.

“People who are purchasing tickets are coming to games. They want to be here,” she said. “That’s where the difference comes from. … (But) apples to apples, yeah, we’re down.”

The Aces declined to disclose actual attendance numbers for 2018 or this season.

The league includes all tickets distributed in attendance figures — regardless if the ticket was redeemed or used at a game. The Aces stopped distributing excess tickets that they knew wouldn’t be used and have been more selective about promotional offers this season, Monjer said.

Single-game tickets typically range from $20 to $78, and season-ticket packages range from $289 to $1,139.

“We don’t do a lot of free tickets. We don’t do a lot of discounting. It has to be very purposeful,” said Monjer, adding that she prioritizes legitimate revenue over the optics of a full arena. “From a turnstile perspective, I think short of maybe one game, we’ve been higher every single game than we were last year.”

The Aces are 15-8 and playing for a top-two seed in the WNBA playoffs and double bye into the semifinals. They open a three-game homestand Friday against the Chicago Sky and conclude their home schedule with two games in late August.

Coach Bill Laimbeer said he doesn’t necessarily expect an uptick in attendance during the final stretch, despite two recent promotional offers, but added that he’s pleased with the atmosphere created by the typical home crowd.

Spectators tend to stay the entire game — regardless of the score — and have been rather ebullient for the better part of two seasons.